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Deportation fight for man with Down's syndrome who lost his parents

A man with Down's syndrome faces deportation to Lebanon after his application to stay in the UK was refused by the Home Office.

Wadih Chourey, 44, came to the UK from Lebanon in 1997 and his parents, who lived in Beirut, died in 2010.

Mr Chourey is supported by his two brothers, Camil and Joseph, who have never relied on public funds, and has nobody in Lebanon willing or able to care for him.

He was originally brought to the UK after being mentally and physically abused outside his parents’ home.

Mr Chourey, who lives in Vivienne Close, East Twickenham, initially had his application to remain in the UK refused, but was successful in an appeal earlier this year.

The judge ruled under article eight of the Human Rights Act that it would be a "disproportionate interference" to his right to a private and family life to insist he returned to Lebanon.

But the Home Office appealed the judge’s decision and the Chourey family is now fighting against the appeal.

In a letter to James Brokenshire, minister of state for security and immigration, Vince Cable, MP for Twickenham, said: "This is a disgraceful position. This is a man who cannot cook for himself, who cannot operate a washing machine or use a computer.

"His welfare is completely dependent on his brothers, who clearly provide a loving and caring home for him yet Home Office lawyers suggest there is nothing compelling or exceptional about the case and assume that Mr Chourey could seamlessly reintegrate into Lebanese life as if he never left."

Members of the Old Isleworth Four Roads Residents’ Association are among those fighting to help Mr Chourey stay in the UK.

Colin Marsh, chairman of the group, said: "Wadih and Camil are very much part of our community and Camil and his brother Joseph are both respected and admired for their love and care of their brother Wadih.

"If he is forced to return Beirut, it is unlikely he will survive as he is unable to care for himself as, due to his mental disability, he is naive, childlike and innocent."

Dr Cable said he would appeal the Home Office's decision on humanitarian grounds and will seek to get an appointment with the minister for immigration to discuss the case fully in the coming weeks.

A Home Office spokesman said: “He has appealed the decision so it would in inappropriate to comment while legal proceedings are ongoing.”

Comments

We've seen worse case than this and got deported back to their own countries.

Simple, his brothers can put him in a carer place in Lebanon and send money to him or to his carer in Lebanon.

He has to go back to Lebanon and be deported like everyone else.
We've seen worse case than this and got deported back to their own countries.
Simple, his brothers can put him in a carer place in Lebanon and send money to him or to his carer in Lebanon.Tamer37

He has to go back to Lebanon and be deported like everyone else.

We've seen worse case than this and got deported back to their own countries.

Simple, his brothers can put him in a carer place in Lebanon and send money to him or to his carer in Lebanon.

20 Mar 2008 - A terminally ill cancer patient deported from the UK to Africa died hours before learning of plans to bring her back for private treatment

Score: -19

unebalam
6:40pm Fri 29 Aug 14

I pity you Tamer37, it can;'t be nice having to live your life with no empathy or compassion. I don't expect you will live your life out without requiring compassion from others at some point so hopefully you will learn just how wrong you are.

I pity you Tamer37, it can;'t be nice having to live your life with no empathy or compassion. I don't expect you will live your life out without requiring compassion from others at some point so hopefully you will learn just how wrong you are.unebalam

I pity you Tamer37, it can;'t be nice having to live your life with no empathy or compassion. I don't expect you will live your life out without requiring compassion from others at some point so hopefully you will learn just how wrong you are.

Score: 29

Tamer37
6:59pm Fri 29 Aug 14

Unebalam, It can't be fair for the other people who were deported as well in the past, who also suffered from all kind of illness.

If he is the first and only person in UK history to be deported then I would say please let him stay in UK.

Regards
Tamer

Unebalam, It can't be fair for the other people who were deported as well in the past, who also suffered from all kind of illness.
If he is the first and only person in UK history to be deported then I would say please let him stay in UK.
Regards
TamerTamer37

Unebalam, It can't be fair for the other people who were deported as well in the past, who also suffered from all kind of illness.

If he is the first and only person in UK history to be deported then I would say please let him stay in UK.

Regards
Tamer

Score: -20

richmondcomments
3:16pm Sun 31 Aug 14

I actually bothered to look up the individual cases that Tamer37 quotes:
CASE 1: Makosi apparently attempted to enter the country using a relative's passport together with £12k cash.
CASE 2: A male 'claiming' to be British, but deported following a 18 month criminal sentence for a 'documentation offence'.
CASE 3: A woman who entered the country from Ghana on a visitors visa. Attempted to change it to a student visa - but was refused because her English was so limited. Whilst suffering from terminal cancer (and being treated by the NHS) was removed back to Ghana as an overstayer. She sadly died of the cancer whilst funds were being raised to allow her to return to receive private treatment which would have prolonged her life.
THIS CASE: A man who has lived here for 17 years and is supported by his brothers rather than the state. He has the backing of both his local MP and his local residents society.
I don't think there is really much comparison in these cases is there?

I actually bothered to look up the individual cases that Tamer37 quotes:
CASE 1: Makosi apparently attempted to enter the country using a relative's passport together with £12k cash.
CASE 2: A male 'claiming' to be British, but deported following a 18 month criminal sentence for a 'documentation offence'.
CASE 3: A woman who entered the country from Ghana on a visitors visa. Attempted to change it to a student visa - but was refused because her English was so limited. Whilst suffering from terminal cancer (and being treated by the NHS) was removed back to Ghana as an overstayer. She sadly died of the cancer whilst funds were being raised to allow her to return to receive private treatment which would have prolonged her life.
THIS CASE: A man who has lived here for 17 years and is supported by his brothers rather than the state. He has the backing of both his local MP and his local residents society.
I don't think there is really much comparison in these cases is there?richmondcomments

I actually bothered to look up the individual cases that Tamer37 quotes:
CASE 1: Makosi apparently attempted to enter the country using a relative's passport together with £12k cash.
CASE 2: A male 'claiming' to be British, but deported following a 18 month criminal sentence for a 'documentation offence'.
CASE 3: A woman who entered the country from Ghana on a visitors visa. Attempted to change it to a student visa - but was refused because her English was so limited. Whilst suffering from terminal cancer (and being treated by the NHS) was removed back to Ghana as an overstayer. She sadly died of the cancer whilst funds were being raised to allow her to return to receive private treatment which would have prolonged her life.
THIS CASE: A man who has lived here for 17 years and is supported by his brothers rather than the state. He has the backing of both his local MP and his local residents society.
I don't think there is really much comparison in these cases is there?

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